Prairie State Park

Prairie State Park in Barton County, Missouri, protects nearly 4,000 acres of grasslands and woodlands, including part of the state’s scarce surviving tallgrass prairie. Set in the central forest-grasslands transition ecoregion, it preserves a landscape where open prairie and patches of woodland exist together. The park is significant as a refuge for one of Missouri’s rarest natural environments and as a place where visitors can experience an ecosystem that once covered much more of the region. Hiking trails, backpack camping, a nature center, and herds of captive wild bison and elk connect recreation with the prairie’s historic character.

Missouri · United States